The Testimony of Charles Manson... Continued

But actually all I ever did with Danny DeCarlo or any other human being was reflect himself back at himself. If he said he did not like the black man, I would say, "Okay." I had better sense than tell him I did not dislike the black man. I just listened to him and I would react to his statement. So consequently he would drink another beer and walk off and pat me on the back and he would say to himself, "Charlie thinks like I do." But actually he does not know how Charlie thinks because Charlie has never projected himself. But maybe the girls and women in your world outside ... Being by yourself for such a long time when you do get out you appreciate things that people don't even see, you walk over them every day. Like in jail you have a whole new attitude or a whole different way of thinking. I don't think like you people. You people put importance on your lives. Well, my life has never been important to anyone, not even in the understanding of the way you fear the things that you fear, and the things you do. I know that the only person I can judge is me. I judge what I have done and I judge what I do and I look and live with myself every day.

I am content with myself. If you put me in the penitentiary, that means nothing because you kicked me out of the last one. I didn't ask to get released. I liked it in there because I like myself. I like being with myself. But in your world it's hard because your understanding and your values are different. These children that come at you with knives, they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand up.

charles manson testimony continued